Chapter 446


    Chapter 446


    The match time was up; the air thrummed with anticipation and the roar of eager crowds as the


    jockeys, astride their magnificent steeds, made a glittering entrance into the arena.


    Amidst a shower of roses and the thunder of apuse, the jockeys stood tall and proud, warriors each


    and every one.


    The announcer’s voice boomed with excitement as he introduced eachpetitor and their gant


    horses. All eyes were on the track, home fans cheering for their favorites. But there were a few who, in


    silence, awaited the arrival of a particr beauty.


    “And now,dies and gentlemen.”


    The announcer’s voice hitched as he scanned his notes, causing a hush to sweep over the crowd.


    “Please wee the daughter of Chairman Emeric Ashbourne, the daughter of the Ashbourne family,


    Ms. Evadne Ashbourne!”


    The crowd erupted in astonishment. Good heavens, the Ashbourne family’s daughterpeting in the


    flesh? Could she truly be such an equestrian force?


    Jewelry designer Alea, hotel magnate, fashion designer Haron, illustrious doctor Dr. Eve and now, a


    jockey too. What other surprises did she harbor, unknown to the world?


    Yet, some onlookers couldn’t help their enviousments.


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    “Can’t that big–shot corporation afford a professional jockey? Why send the family gem to rough it up?


    Talk about cheap thrills.”


    “Seriously, the racetrack is so dusty and grimy. If it were me, I would never agree to step in there.”


    “And horses, they’re beasts after all. What if one goes berserk and she gets thrown or trampled?


    Seems the Ashbournedy will stop at nothing for a bit of the limelight.”


    Evadne, d in a striking ck and white riding ensemble, gracefully led her horse Wind into the


    arena.


    The spectators were spellbound, even the naysayers fell silent for she was a vision of beauty.


    nd riding attire was often demanding of one’s figure; not any woman could embody its uniqueness,


    yet all those concerns and defects seemed dissolved in front of her impable body.


    Her clear eyes and bright smile, her statuesque form, all radiated a fierce, sun–like brilliance.


    Seeing his woman entering the arena, Thaddeus couldn’t help but rush to the forefront, gripping the


    railing with white–knuckled intensity, his eyes fixed on the breathtaking Evadne.


    “Evadne,” he whispered her name, his voice thick with an emotion that almost brought him to tears.


    Edith observed his longing gaze, scoffed, and drowned her irritation in a hefty swig of bourbon.


    3


    Stare all he wanted. Maybeter he’d miss this time for the rest of his life.


    Frederic, noting his usually haughty son now smitten in the presence of the Ashbourne daughter, felt a


    stormy scowl crease his forehead. Not wanting to cause a scene, he redirected his frustration at


    Glynnis, “Where is your mom? The race is about to start. At such a crucial moment, everyone is here


    but her. Where has she disappeared to?”


    Glynnis, feeling wronged, blurted out, “How should I know? She’s your wife. You ought to know her


    whereabouts, shouldn’t you?”


    Frederic’s brows furrowed tight. It was odd, indeed. Elspeth had been acting secretivetely, especially


    around this horse show. She used to cling to him relentlessly, and now she seemed to keep her


    distance, as if plotting something ndestine.


    “Dennis.”


    “Yes, Mr. Abernathy,” Dennis promptly approached.


    “Go find my wife. And when you do, tell her toe back immediately.”


    Dennis nodded and left swiftly.


    Glynnis’s heart skipped a beat; she worried that Elspeth might be conducting a covert rendezvous with


    Victor at the track, exchanging some illicit potion, which drenched herself in cold sweat for dread.


    Cursing her loose lips, she quickly texted her mother a warning.


    [Mom! Dad’s sent someone to find you. Be careful!]


    Meanwhile, Jareth, seeing Evadne make her entrance, couldn’t help but y the role of the spirited


    cheerleader amidst the male jockeys, “Woohoo! Go Evadne, you look smashing! Charge ahead!”


    Mari aside didn’t show a hint of annoyance. Instead, her eyes, as clear as stars, sparkled with


    excitement and her fists clenched in anticipation.


    While the Fairhaven family looked on with disapproval. What could they do about this whirlwind of a


    man? They pretended not to know him.


    “What’s with all the ‘woohoo‘, acting like a baboon?” Thaddeus roasted in a jealous tone as he shot him


    a cold nce, “Just stay quiet.


    Only you know how to speak?”


    “Come off it, I’m just being a passionate spectator. If Mari were racing, I’d leap from here and sprint


    alongside her, cheering her on without a care in the world!”


    Thaddeus sneered at his words, unconvinced. Aren’t you already like that?


    “You’re just too uptight, man.” Jareth pped him on the back, “I know exactly what you’re thinking.


    You’re more anxious and worried for Evadne than anyone here. You should shout it out like I do! How


    else will she know?”


    “I’m not as ostentatious as you. Besides, who says I won’t show it?” A tremor passed through


    Thaddeus’s longshes, his voice a husky whisper, “Oh, ill show it when we get home.”


    Raising his eyebrow, Jareth smirked knowingly, “Spicy taste, I get it!”


    Thaddeus had always been the stoic type, seemingly above worldly desires. Now, with love igniting his


    passions, he was a whole new


    man.


    There’s no such thing as being unromantic; it’s just a matter of meeting the right person.


    The bigwigs watched as their horses lined up on the track, poised for the race. Their eyes shone with


    nervous anticipation. Only William and his son remained calm, watching the proceedings with detached


    amusement.


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    Ford raised his binocrs toward Evadne, positioned at gate five. His gaze wandered greedily over


    her, lingering on her shapely legs hugged by tight jodhpurs. His Adam’s apple bobbed as his tongue


    traced his upper lip.


    He hadn’t expected such a wild, unrestrained side to the sheltered Ms. Ashbourne. She was exactly his


    type. Once the race was over, he resolved to persuade his father to approach the Ashbourne family


    with a marriage proposal.


    Myra watched William and his son intently, noting how Ford’s gaze seemed fixated on Evadne. She


    couldn’t help but feel a drum of anxiety in her chest and whispered to Cassius, “That man from the


    Morris family…he seems quite taken with Evadne, doesn’t he?”


    Cassius’s expression darkened upon hearing it, “You noticed too?” He had seen it before – the old


    man’s intentions were as clear as day! “What do we do? I’m getting worried.”


    Myra’s elegant brows furrowed with concern, “Williams and his son are one of the top financial


    powerhouses in their country. Emeric mentioned them before, saying that if we wanted to expand our


    business here, we’d have to deal with their family eventually. What if that Junior Morris takes a fancy to


    Evadne and uses a business coboration as a bargaining chip, proposing marriage to Emeric in


    exchange for her hand. What then?!”


    Brows furrowed, Cassius thought for a moment, his voice warm but firm, “That won’t happen. Junior


    Morris is nearly forty, a whole ten years older than Evadne – it’s not a suitable match. Besides, they’re


    from another country and Debby is already married abroad. Dad would never agree to send Evadne so


    far away from her family.”


    “Even so, Emeric is keen on breaking up Evadne and Mr. Abernathy. He might change his mind, who


    knows?” Myra’s heart was still


    uneasy.


    “Even though Dad disapproves of Thaddeus, he would never trade his daughter’s happiness for


    personal gain,” Cassius asserted, though his face betrayed his concern.


    Meanwhile, Emeric was using his binocrs to admire his daughter’s grace, instructing Mr. Dn to


    record the event and asking the officials to take more pictures of her.


    Evadne’s gaze was piercing as she focused ahead. Her seemingly delicate figure was charged with an


    immeasurable explosive force.


    The male jockeys sneered at her, thinking, “This pampered little miss – just don’t cry when you lose.”


    At the signal, every rider leaned forward.


    “Come on, Wind!” Evadne tensed, regting her breath. Then, with a deafening gunshot, fourteen


    horses burst forth like arrows released from a bow. Wind was the fastest off the mark, showing


    incredible power!


    The crowd went wild, cheers drowning out one another!


    Thaddeus watched as Evadne took off like a fire on the wind, his heart pounding and blood boiling with


    anticipation.


    You got this, Evadne. You will seed. Go for it!


    ‘Go!”


    Evadne’s clear voice cut through the rushing wind, and Wind surged like lightning. She could feel the


    air’s resistance pressing against her. But this was no ce for the weak–every horse was a contender.


    Although Wind was in the lead and no matter how skillful Evadne harnessed it, the advantage wasn’t


    clear due to its buildpared to the other thoroughbreds. Soon enough, a rider overtook her.


    “Ahahaha, well done!” Barry, ecstatic, banged his cane on the ground, “Did you see it? Our Thunder is


    taking the lead!”


    While Gary, seeking to ingratiate himself, eximed, “Your choice of Thunder back then was spot on!”


    Jareth sneered, “Ass–kisser.”


    Avery, adjusting his sses, taunted, “We’re just warming up, Mr. Fairhaven. It’s still far too early to


    make conclusions. Celebrating now might be premature.”


    “I know you hope Ms. Ashbourne to be the winner, Mr. Chambers. After all, she’s the woman you love.”


    Gary had long been disgruntled about Avery; he couldn’t resist taking a jab at him whenever there was


    a chance, “But sometimes things can’t be forcibly done. Just like when your crush loves someone else,


    or when the horse you bet on is doomed to lose. If you have to ask the reason, it’s evidently because of


    the gics. Thunder looks stronger, and in the face of absolute strength, everything else is just a


    show.”


    Just a few remarks would suffice not just to ridicule Avery bloodily, but to insinuate other three families‘


    ipetence.


    Avery’s lips tightly pressed, his eyes reddened with a tinge of merciless algidity, while Thaddeus


    observed indifferently; he surely hoped Evadne would win, but he had to admit Gary’s point.


    “This uncle of mine is nothing but a dirty dog, but he’s got a point about what he just said,” Jareth,


    leaning on the railing, reveled in Avery’s lividness, “Check this out! It’s so funny to see that jerk’s face.


    The wicked has been ground down.”


    “Jerk? Who?” Thaddeus’s brow furrowed.


    “Of course it’s Avery. Who else can it be? He’s a angelic bitch who pretends being either innocent or


    pitiful. Gross! Acting like he’s pure angel, bah! What a low creature!” Jareth spat furiously, barely


    holding himself back the impulse to punch Avery and shatter his disgustingly polished sses.


    Though without any reply, Thaddeus reckoned what he said described Avery perfectly.


    As the race entered the secondp, the gap widened. Thunder from the Fairhaven family was leading,


    followed closely by Wind, with the Abernathy Group’s Dragon breathing down their necks.


    When a burly rider from the Fairhaven family passed Evadne, he whistled and jeered at her. Evadne,


    insulted, vowed to win this race or never ride again.


    Determined, she urged Wind on, trailing close behind the leaders. The main pack was far behind; it


    was now a three–horse race.


    Below, Edith watched Evadne closely, her gaze fixed on Wind’s legs. A sinister smile crept across her


    face.